The present invention pertains generally to an attachment for a clothes dryer of the type found within the home for the purpose of drying apparel.
Several issued U.S. patents disclose clothes dryer attachments which utilize dryer exhaust flow for the drying of articles supported on air conduits or confined within enclosures served by the dryer exhaust.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,197,886 discloses a garment bag supported on a metal hanger affixed to a clothes dryer with dryer output being directed into a vented clothes bag. A warm air conduit attaches to an opening in the dryer for directing heated air to the clothes bag.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,256,616 discloses a cabinet which seats atop a clothes dryer and is provided with baffles to direct a heated air flow from a dryer exhaust duct through the cabinet and thence to an outlet segment of the exhaust pipe. The cabinet is permanently attached to the dryer outlet conduit and includes a positionable baffle.
U.S. Pat. 3,417,481 discloses a clothes dryer wherein dryer output may be diverted through a garment bag in which the articles to be dried are hung. A valve plate diverts heated air from the dryer outlet conduit to the garment bag.
U.S. Pat. 3,645,009 discloses an attachment to a hair dryer which attachment includes a heated air conduit terminating in a U-shaped boot or glove support structure of a tubular nature and through which heated air from the hair dryer passes for drying of gloves or footwear supported on the structure.
U.S. Pat. 5,222,308 discloses a boot dryer comprising a manifold with multiple U-shaped footwear holders apertured to discharge heated air from a dryer. The U-shaped structures have right angular end segments.
U.S. Pat. 3,154,392 discloses a boot dryer wherein discharge conduits have curved distal ends for discharging heated air to the interior of boots.
The present invention is embodied within a clothes dryer attachment which may remain in place coupled to the clothes dryer with convenient control means enabling standard dryer operation or, alternatively, redirection of dryer air through a support structure for the articles being dried.
The present invention is embodied in a conduit system coupled to a dryer outlet and having a valve for directing the driver outlet flow toward an exhaust vent or toward a wall mounted support assembly on which are the articles to be dried. A valve for directing dryer discharge is shaped to promote a non-turbulent flow of heated air in either direction without presenting surfaces on which fibers or other matter from the discharge flow may collect. A hand control permits the dryer user to position the valve while making other settings on the dryer control panel. The wall supported holder for articles to be directed includes a wall mounted or fastened bracket in which an article holder is stored or may be used for the drying of certain articles while, in other instances, it is removed and located on a floor surface for optimum drying of other types of articles.
Important objectives of the present invention include the provision of an air valve which directs hot air from the dryer to a wall mounted article holder with provision made for relocating the holder onto a room floor for optimum drying of certain articles, as for example hip boots; the provision of conduit system wherein an air valve serves to direct dryer discharge toward a dryer vent for discharge to the atmosphere, or alternatively, toward a wall supported holder for articles not suitable for placement in a clothes dryer, the provision of a dryer attachment with an air valve having a concavo-convex member for directing dryer discharge.